Former Heat star Meyers Leonard pens an emotional life story into a song as he highlights struggles, success and fatherhood

After 10 seasons in the NBA stretched across time with the Portland Trail Blazers, Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks, Meyers Leonard called it a career on Sunday. The University of Illinois product has found a new path as a country music singer.

Leonard used his new passion as the canvas to express his highs, lows and his entrance into fatherhood, penning a song called "Good in Goodbye," which debuted on Sunday.

He called it "a thank you—to basketball, the fans, my teammates, my family, the organizations, and everyone who believed in a young kid from Robinson, Illinois."

Single cover for “Good in Goodbye” ( Miles Leonard Instagram)

In a six-part post on X, the 11th-overall pick in the 2012 draft detailed that he knew after his season in Milwaukee that he had played his last game in the NBA.

He appeared in nine games, with two starts, for the Bucks in the 2022-23 season, putting up 4.8 points and 3.8 rebounds in 12.7 minutes per contest.

Leonard shared his experience of learning to sing and write songs.

"Learning to sing and songwrite has given me a chance to reflect on everything basketball has given me—and how every goodbye has led to something good."

He added:

"And now, leaving the NBA has given me the greatest blessing of all—the chance to be the father I never had, to fall asleep next to my beautiful wife every night, and to spend time with the most important people in my life."

Meyers Leonard's career took him from small town to basketball at the highest levels

Leonard attended Robinson High in his hometown of Robinson, Illinois, where he helped lead the Maroons to a 27-5 mark and the Class 2A State Championship.

Leonard, who, according to 247 Sports, was the then 28th-ranked player in the country and the No. 1 player in Illinois, stayed in state, attending the University of Illinois.

After his sophomore season, in which he averaged 13.6 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, Leonard entered the 2012 NBA Draft, where he was taken 11th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers.

He spent seven seasons with the Blazers, averaging 5.6 points and 3.2 rebounds in 456 games (95 starts) with the franchise. His best moment during his time with the Blazers, and likely his career, was Game 4 of the 2019 Western Conference Finals against the Golden State Warriors, in which Leonard scored 30 points but the team came up just short, falling 119-117.

He was traded to the Miami Heat on July 6, 2019, as part of the massive four-team that sent Jimmy Butler to the Miami Heat. He was a solid contributor to the Heat, averaging 5.9 ppg and 4.4 rpg in 19.7 minutes and helping them reach the NBA Finals in 2020.

After his first season in South Beach, Leonard signed a multi-year deal. However, injury and using an antisemitic slur on a livestream derailed his career, keeping him out of the league for the better part of two seasons.

In February 2023, he signed a pair of 10-day deals with the Milwaukee Bucks before eventually signing a contract with the team.

He was unsigned in 2023-24 before retiring this week.